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Lots of questions from a non-shotgun owner

R

RobertS

Copper BB
I do not own a Mossberg and I've never fired a shotgun before. I have two handguns (neither of which is a Mossberg), but Mossberg 500s are recommended a lot for home defense, so I'm considering one in the future.

I saw a very base version at the LGS. It was polymer stock and pump (don't know what this is called) and bead sight.

How easy is it for the end user to make modifications to a base level 500? Would I be able to change my own stock? Would I be able to change my own sights?

The polymer trigger guard is another thing that I would need to consider changing.
 
Welcome to the Mossberg Owners Forum !!

Please introduce yourself to our community via the New Member Welcome Area...

Enjoy the forum.



** All the parts of the M500 you listed can be swapped out....OEM and After-market
 
SHOOTER13 said:
Welcome to the Mossberg Owners Forum !!
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Sorry for not doing a formal introduction. I wanted to get right to asking questions. The purpose of my weapons is solely for self-defense and target shooting. I do not hunt, but the Mossberg 500 and 590 come up a lot on advise for home defense.
 
Can't go wrong with a Mossberg 500...it's like an erector set for men...build it just the way you like it.
 
SHOOTER13 said:
Can't go wrong with a Mossberg 500...it's like an erector set for men...build it just the way you like it.
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Is it rather simple for someone with some mechanical skill to change sights? The LGS had a 500 or 590 with tactical pistol grip and ghost ring sight, but that drove to price to $799.
 
Can't say...I've never changed the sights myself...

My M500 Cruiser { #50580 } ( pistol grip / full stock ) 8 shot capacity has a 20" barrel with bead sight...adequate for me...in the configuration below .



and my M590a1 { # 51663 } 9 shot capacity has a 20" barrel and Ghost Ring sights...which rock !!

 
I used a 3gungear velcro side saddle for a long time on one of my guns. It worked well.

I would go with the limbsaver butt pad. Not sure of the size you need.

As far as the polymer trigger guard, I would not worry about it. I carry a polymer framed gun everyday. It has been used hard and shows no signs of cracking. It would take a pretty good direct hit to break the trigger guard.
 
RobertS said:
I do not hunt, but the Mossberg 500 and 590 come up a lot on advise for home defense.
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The basic 500 or 590, in it's simplest form, is ideally suited for home defense. It's simple, easy to use, lightweight, and packs one hell of a punch. We see too many folks get into shotguns for the first time and immediately start modifying the weapon into something a lot more complicated and way too heavy to be practical. Get to know the shotgun as is first. Become proficient in its operation, then begin adding only the things that you determine you need to become more proficient. Most of the stuff we see folks add right off the rip that they think they'll need ends up coming off soon after. Our accessories for sale section at the bottom of the forum is full of "upgrades" that turned out to be not so useful...
 
Target shooting with a shotgun:

Remember that a shotguns best use is on flying targets. If you can, look for a combo model, so you get the HD barrel and a 28" ribbed barrel. The ribbed barrel shooting flying clay targets will give you more fun than you have ever had with a gun.

A 500 is a great gun! I have 4 along with many other shotguns.
 
The plastic forends on the 12 gauge models are riveted directly to the action bars, which makes it kind of expensive to do a forend swap. If you buy a 12 gauge with a wood stock and forend, or a 20 gauge with either wood or plastic, the forend can be removed from the action slide tube by simply taking off a retaining nut. This makes a swap a lot easier and cheaper.
 
Buy a used 500 and have fun. Own a 500A I bought new 31 years ago and tens of thousands of rounds ago-nothing broken or in need of replacement in 31 years. When I was younger I'd shoot 5 times a week (trap/skeet, wooden blocks) and only cleaned the barrel. A little spray of solvent in and around the bolt and trigger assembly and always good to go. Like everyone, I had a few rounds drop out on me, but the '85 500A has never jammed or failed to fire or extract. Plastic safety and polymer trigger assembly still fine shooting for 3 decades in sub-zero weather, in the trunk on hot days, dropped in a brook one time and my general laziness in cleaning shotguns. I've purchased 2 more used Mossberg 500s in the last year-1988 20 gauge and a 1989 500A $150 Can't go wrong. Old shotguns are like wine-better with age and made better back in the day. Now I love cleaning shotguns and marvel how simple the Mossberg design is. Except the trigger assembly of course......................................
 
Conn 500 said:
Buy a used 500 and have fun. Own a 500A I bought new 31 years ago and tens of thousands of rounds ago-nothing broken or in need of replacement in 31 years. When I was younger I'd shoot 5 times a week (trap/skeet, wooden blocks) and only cleaned the barrel. A little spray of solvent in and around the bolt and trigger assembly and always good to go. Like everyone, I had a few rounds drop out on me, but the '85 500A has never jammed or failed to fire or extract. Plastic safety and polymer trigger assembly still fine shooting for 3 decades in sub-zero weather, in the trunk on hot days, dropped in a brook one time and my general laziness in cleaning shotguns. I've purchased 2 more used Mossberg 500s in the last year-1988 20 gauge and a 1989 500A $150 Can't go wrong. Old shotguns are like wine-better with age and made better back in the day. Now I love cleaning shotguns and marvel how simple the Mossberg design is. Except the trigger assembly of course......................................
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All 4 of my 500's were purchased used. They are my go to guns for clay games (except Trap) and hunting.
 
The 500 is among the easiest of shotguns to use and to modify on your own.

The bead sight comes off easily, it should be possible to take it off with a socket, I use pliers like channel locks. The ghost ring front sight is silver soldered in place though and won't come off without more serious work. The stock has two screws in the recoil pad, and a 1/2" deep well socket on an extension is needed for the stock bolt. The trigger guard should be a non issue.

$799 sounds high to me but I could be wrong. There are far less expensive models. You could even order a new 500 with 18-1/2" barrel from somewhere like Buds for about $400.
 
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